April 2013
The owners of The Galleries in Bristol have announced the next stage of work in the upgrade of the shopping centre as part of an ongoing multi-million pound investment.
Since acquiring the shopping centre in 2011, owners InfraRed Capital have carried out a number of improvements include relocating escalators to enhance sight lines and pedestrian flow, new washrooms and disabled facilities, rebranding and renaming the centre, and relocating the food court to create a new food service area on the middle level.
The next stage of work includes refurbishing the Merchant Street entrance to improve the look and feel of the key access point and to create a seamless integration into Philadelphia Street and the Bristol Shopping Quarter.
David Henderson-Williams of Hark Group, the asset manager who will oversee the refurbishment, said: “It will certainly be lighter, brighter and more modern as the updates will include cladding the red brick in a Bath stone coloured material plus adding glass panels and increasing the actual height of the entrances. There will be new signage and internal doors and improved lighting as well as extending the existing coloured paving all the way up to the new doors.”
The Galleries, which was the first covered shopping mall in Bristol, celebrated its 21st birthday last year. Recent signings include international furniture retailer Bo Concept and discount retailer 99p Stores.
GCW and Savills are leasing agents for InfraRed/Hark.